The Elbow of Love Willing Ring
004 - Promise Ring

Viona was still looking at the ring on her middle finger. His subconscious takes him on an adventure to the moment when the ring was given by his grandmother.

That day, Viona came home wet with water as Grandma opened the door for her.

"What's up, Vio? Why is it soaked like this? Later you catch a cold, let's quickly dry your body first," ordered grandma.

At that time Viona could only cry as she pleased. Luckily it was raining that day so no one knew she was crying.

Viona sat on the floor while the granny sitting on the rocking chair gently dried Viona's hair with a towel.

Grandma patiently heard Viona's story, the reason Viona was crying to such an extent.

"... The young man I've liked for a long time has rejected me, Grandma! He said I was the kind of girl he hated. Hicks..."

"Grandmother, it seems like I will never be able to have a boyfriend. I'm not pretty and smart. I'm not like Sany. So many people love Sany."

"Nobody likes me, Grandma!"

That's what Viona complained. Actually this is not the first time Viona has been rejected by the same person. But this time rejection was painful. More than ten times he declared his love for the young man, but was always rejected. This is his last year at school. After graduating from school, he probably would never meet the young man again.

"How long have you liked that guy?" ask grandma.

"It's been a long time, Grandma, since entering High School" replied Viona.

"He's your first love?" ask grandma.

Viona nodded slowly.

"I like him a lot, even if he hates me. That's a miracle, isn't it, Grandma?!" 

Viona turned to look at her grandmother. Viona's grandmother was already over seventy years old. The old woman's skin was filled with wrinkles that eroded her beauty. The timelines were clearly visible on his face, his eyes still sparkling even though the gray lines began to fade the dark brown color on his cornea.

"Grandma, did Grandma ever feel what I felt? Hated by someone you like?" 

Grandma commented on the gentle smile, the skin around her lips had already loosened.

"Yes, Grandma had a taste of it" replied the grandmother.

"really? That can't be Grandma!"

Grandma nodded quickly, then turned her head towards the drawer beside her bed.

His hand reached for something from inside the drawer. A small box stored under a stack of medical bills from the hospital.

Grandma took out a ring from inside the box.

"This is proof, that Grandma once loved and hated that person" replied the grandmother.

"This is Grandma's wedding ring?" ask Viona.

Grandma shook her head slowly.

"This is the ring given by the one who became Grandma's first love" Grandma replied.

"Grandfather gave it to him?" ask Viona again.

"No" answered the grandmother quickly.

"Grandmother has kept it for more than sixty years" continued the grandmother.

"It was still a time of war. The guy gave me this ring as a promise that he'd come back from the war and then he'd marry Grandma."

Viona looked straight at her grandmother. The old woman's eyes glared far away.

"Grandmother waited without certainty, just hoping, the young man would come to fulfill his promise."

"War passed but there was no news of the young man. Whether she's alive or not, Grandma doesn't know. Many years passed, until Grandma was very frustrated by the pressure from the big family who expected Grandma to get married."

"Continue?" ask Viona to know. " Did Grandma finally meet that person again?" ask Viona again.

Grandma looked towards the ring.

"Yes, Grandma met him after many years later" replied the grandmother.

"Certainly? Continues to? Is Grandma angry with him?"

"God! You insolent man! It's so good, Grandma!"

Grandma breathed heavily.

"It's a pity that Grandma was given such false hope! So, what did Grandma do? Did Grandma hit that guy?"

"Yes, at that time Grandma did want to hit him, but Grandma's love held him back. Love then becomes a hatred that is so extraordinary," said the grandmother.

Viona clasped granny's hand tightly.

"At that time, he apologized profusely to Grandma, even offering anything he could give to make up for everything" she said.

"But, of course, Grandma rejected all that. Grandma doesn't want to deal with that guy anymore. Grandma even returned the ring that the man promised, "grandmother continued.

"The man asked Grandma to keep this ring, because he had given it to Grandma. But Grandma certainly wouldn't keep it."

"Grandmother assumed that the man could not keep his promise and Grandma hated the man."

"The man still forced Grandma to keep this ring and promised to take it again" she said.

"Why didn't Grandma throw it away?" ask Viona.

Grandma's eyes glared back, looking out the window.

"Grandmother can't throw it away because Grandma still loves her and again still expects it" replied the grandmother.

Viona's tears flowed again. It was so sad to hear Grandma's story.

"Time goes on until Grandma completely forgets the man. Suddenly we meet again. At that time he was a widower," continued the grandmother.

"She wanted to marry Grandma, but that's impossible, because Grandma was married to your grandfather, even when it was pregnant with your father."

Viona flabbergasted.

"The man finally regrets?" ask Viona.

"Very" answered the grandmother.

"Then? How's Grandma?"

"She was very sorry and still insisted on making up for everything. He promised to match our son, but all the promise is left because our children are born all men" said the grandmother while commenting on her smile.

"Oh my goodness!" viona Sahut.

"Well, Grandma has tried to sincerely accept that we are not a match. But in the end he also said that even though we are not fools, our descendants must match. So, Vio, Grandma put this ring on you, "grandmother said.

"Huh?! What?!" Viona jumped in shock.

"No-no Grandma! I don't want to be the same fate as Grandma who was given false hope!" continued Viona.

Grandma shook her head slowly.

"Vio, Grandma just wanted to know, is that guy really going to keep his promise?"

"Will the man really fulfill his promise to betroth our offspring as he has spoken?"

"Therefore, Grandma asked you to be a witness that the man will finally keep his promise" continued the grandmother.

"So don't worry about your soul mate's problems. Your soul mate will come when the time comes."

Grandma clasped the ring tightly in Viona's fist.

"Please take care of this ring, if the man does not fulfill his promise, please just return it yes," she said.

Viona regained her senses from her daydream by still grasping the ring.

What's he supposed to do? Does he still have to wait for the owner of this ring to come?

Does he really have to continue the sad story of his grandmother who was ultimately only given false hope?

...*****...